Statutes and By-Laws
meetings, including the next meeting of the General Assembly.
• establishes Commissions, elects the chairpersons of Commissions and
approves the terms of reference, subject to the provisions of Article
24.
Article 9. Meetings of the General Assembly of Delegates
The General Assembly of Delegates will normally meet every four years.
At each General Assembly the time and place of the next meeting will be decided
or, if this is impractical, the decision will be made by the Executive Committee.
In special circumstances, with the agreement of the Executive Committee, the
President has the right to call an Extraordinary General Assembly. The
President is also obliged to do so if one third of the member nations demand it.
As a rule, the General Assembly will be held in conjunction with an International
Cartographic Conference ICC.
Article 10. Agenda The agenda of every General Assembly of
Delegates is decided upon by the Executive Committee. It will be
communicated to the representative of each member nation three months before
the General Assembly of Delegates takes place.
In order to make this feasible, national member organisations, who want to bring
an issue to the agenda, must propose a motion on that issue in writing to the
Secretary General and Treasurer at least five months before the date of the General
Assembly. See also By-Law 8. Motions not listed on the agenda cannot be
brought to that Assembly for a decision. However, the President is entitled to accept
such motions, but for discussion only.
Article 11. Voting Decisions at the General Assembly shall be
taken by a show of hands and by a simple majority vote, of those delegates present,
who have the right to vote. However, if at least two delegates, or the
Executive Committee, make a request, the vote shall be taken by ballot. Should there
be an equal division of vote, the President shall cast the deciding vote.
Voting by proxy will not be permitted and no delegate shall represent or vote for any
other member nation. Voting by correspondence will be
permitted only in accordance with Articles 28 and 30.
F. The Executive Committee
Article 12. Composition of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Association consists of the following
members:
• The President of the Association, who presides over all regular and
extraordinary General Assemblies, the meetings of the Executive
Committee, International Cartographic Conferences and acts
as the main representative of the Association.
• A Past President, who shall serve for one term following the term of
President. The office of Past President may remain vacant.
• Five to seven Vice-Presidents, the exact number to be decided at the
General Assembly of Delegates. They assist the President in the
performance of his or her different duties.
• A Secretary General and Treasurer, who is responsible for the
administration and the general running of the Association.
The duties to be conducted by Executive Committee members are specified in the
reference document Duties and Responsibilities of ICA Officers.
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Article 13. Election of the Executive Committee
No member nation may have more than one representative on the Executive
Committee. The President, the Vice-Presidents and the
Secretary General and Treasurer shall be elected by the General Assembly of
Delegates and shall hold office until the end of the following General Assembly.
They can be re-elected, but with the following restrictions:
• the President may not serve for three consecutive terms.
• the Vice-Presidents and the Secretary General and Treasurer
may not serve for three consecutive terms.
In the event of a vacancy arising in the Executive Committee in the period
between two General Assemblies, the Executive Committee, after consultation
with the member nation which the person represented, will appoint a replacement
from the same member nation to serve until the next General Assembly at which a
new Executive Committee is elected. If a vacancy arises in the Presidency, an Acting
President will be elected by the Executive Committee. The Secretary General and
Treasurer shall organise the election as soon as possible following the vacancy.
Article 14. Authority of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is responsible for the general functioning of the
Association and represents it wherever necessary.
A quorum of half the members of the Executive Committee, plus one, is required
to validate decisions of the Committee. It prepares and organises the General
Assembly of Delegates, oversees the International Cartographic Conferences
and other meetings, and compiles reports on them. It may form Working Groups.
It prepares guidelines and rules for the formation and operation of Commissions
and Working Groups, including their functioning and reporting, and the
managing of funds allocated for their support. It examines and, if necessary,
modifies proposed terms of reference, in discussion with the proposed Commission
chairpersons before presentation to the General Assembly for decision.
It meets at least once a year, but may meet whenever deemed necessary, at the
invitation of the President or by request from at least three of its members.
The members of the Executive Committee perform their duties without remuneration.
The time and place of the International Cartographic Conference between General
Assemblies is determined by the Executive Committee.
Article 15. Domicile of the Association The domicile of the Association is
determined by the General Assembly.
Article 16. Secretariat A secretariat may be installed, either at the
meeting place of the General Assembly of Delegates or at the domicile of the
President or of the Secretary General and Treasurer.
Such a secretariat may have paid employees, whose salaries are to be
determined by the Secretary General and Treasurer with the approval of the
Executive Committee.
Article 17. Auditors The Auditors are elected by the General
Assembly of Delegates for the period between two successive General
Assemblies. The Secretary General and Treasurer submits to them, in good time,
all necessary documents to enable them to render to the General Assembly, a
complete report on the accounts, and on the financial position of the Association.
This report has to be presented to the Executive Committee before the Delegates
meet.
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The Auditors have, at all times, the right to carry out any checks and inspections which
seem necessary to them. They perform their duties without remuneration.
They can be re-elected.
G. Budgets, Funds
